Railway-rail bender and str



(No Model.\

B. M. WOODIN & F. J. GIBBS.

I RAILWAY RAIL BENDER AND STRAIGHTENER. No. 377,184. Patented Jan. 81,1888.

Iji i.

WITNESSES I o/e N. PETERS. Phmo-Lnnognphor, Washington. D. c.

ilNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE EMORY M. IVOODIN AND FRANK J GIBBS, OFTYRONE, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-RAIL BENDER AND STRAIGHTENER.

.EPECIPICATIO NfQIming part of Letters Patent No. 377,184, dated January31, 1888.

Application filed July 12, 1887.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EMORY M. XVooDiN and FRANK J. GIBBS, of Tyrone, inthe county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new andImproved Railway-Bail Bender and Straightener, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention relates to an improvementin railway-rail benders andstraighteners, and has forits objectto provide a simple and powerfuldevice whereby a rail may be quickly and effectively curved, or whereinany curvature in the rail when in position upon the ties may bestraightened with ease and dispatch.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims. 7

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, and Fig. 2 is an end view.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same. Fig. at is a side elevation,partially sectional, showing the application of the device as ajack.

In carrying out the invention a head-block, A, is provided centrally attop and bottom with metallic plates (4, and through said plates andblock A, at the center, avertical aperture is produced, the aperture inthe said plates being threaded.

Each end of the head-block A is longitudi nally slotted, as at to, Figs.2 and 3, and in each of said slots one end of a metal arm, B, ispivoted. Both arms are of equal length, and are provided with abifurcated lower end, B, the two limbs of the bifurcation being nearerto gether above, as shown at Z), than below, as shown at B, in Figs. 2and 3.

A' brace-rod, 0, provided with a series of apertures, c, at each end,and a central transverse sleeve, 0 is entered in the slots 1) of thearms and adjustably held therein by a pin, 21, passing through the armsand one of the apertures 0, whereby the said arms may be adjusted tosuit the radius of the curve to be made.

Two aligning slots, d, are made in the members of the bifurcated ends B,one above the Serial No. 244,060. (No model.)

other, adapted to be entered by wedge-pins d, which pins are providedwith one straight longitudinal edgc,having a recess, (1, and an opposingbeveled edge, as shown in Fig. 2.

Through the aperture in the head-block a threaded rod, D, is entered,adapted to project above the same and pass downward through the sleevea", carrying at its lower end aswivel, D, having outwardly-extending andupward ly-curved opposing wings, d, adapted each to receive one end of alink, 6, supporting at the other end a metal block, 6.

Upon the upper end of the threaded rod D, above the head-block, aratchet-wheel, E, is secured, and above and below the said wheel Ethebifurcated endsf of a socket, Rare held, to turn upon the threaded rodindependent thereof. Within the bifurcated end of the socket F aspring-actuated angular or double pawl, G, is pivoted, adapted toproject out at each side of the socket and engage the ratchetwheel inthe direction in which the socket is turned by the handle H fitted inthe same. The said double pawl G is provided with rearwardlyextendingfingers a at each side of its pivoted point, and to the rear of said pawl,also in the socket F, a guide-finger, m, is pivoted, encircled by aspring, m, which spring is adapted to engage either of the fingers a, toretain the pawl inengagement with the ratchet upon that side.

In operation,when a rail is to be curved or bent, the arms B areadjusted at more or less of an angle to the head-block, according to theradius of the curve to be made. The wedge pins or keys (1 are now, ifthe arms are at an angle, entered in the lower slots, (1, and ifperpendicular in the upper slots, the said keys being so entered in theslots, so that the members of the bifurcated ends of the arms B willbewithin the recess d"",whereby the said ends are prevented fromspreading and the inclined edge of said keys is made to bear against thehead and base of the rail at each side of the center of the proposedcurve. Thus a firm and straight bearing is had upon the rail, and thesaid rail is prevented from kinking or twist-- ing. The screw-rod is nowbrought to bear upon the side of the rail by means of the ratchet deviceand the rail thereby bent to the requisite curve.

end where the ratchet-wheel is attached is In the event that the railhas already been laid and has become sunken between the ties, tostraighten the same the keys are made to engage the top of the rail, theblock 0 is passed beneath the rail at the point of depression, and thelinks 6 made to engage the wings of the swivel D, as shown in dottedlines, Fig. 1. By manipulating the ratchet device to raise the screw-rodthe depressed portion of the rail is drawn upand straightened.

In Fig. 4 the rod-and-ratchet attachment is illustrated in use as ajack. The red at' the rod D is entered into the cap-aperture and screwedup into the body, as shown. Thus the object to be jacked, resting uponthe top of the body,is by the manipulation of the ratchet attachmentraised or lowered as the body is made to travel up or down upon the rodD.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a screw-rod, a ratchet fast on the same, and ahandle'operating the ratchet, of a double pawl provided withrearwardly-extending fingers at each side of its pivotal point, aguiding-pin pivoted in the handle, and a spiral spring on said pin andadapted to engage either of the fingers of the pawl, substantially asset forth.

2. The combination, with a ratchet and a handle adapted to operate thesame, of a double pawl provided with a rearwardly-extending finger ateach side of its pivotal point, a guiding-pin pivoted in the handle, anda spiral spring on said pin and adapted to engage either of the fingersof the pawl, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposesherein set forth.

3. The combination, with a screw-rod, a ratchet fast on the same, and ahandle having pivoted therein a double spring-actingpawl adapted tooperate the ratchet, a swivel upon thelower end of the screw-rod, linkssupported from said swivel, and a block suspended from said links, of ahead-block, arms pivoted at the ends of said head-block having slottedbirounded by a spring adapted to engage one of' said fingers, a swivelupon the lower end of the screw rod, links supported from said swivel,and a block suspended from said links, of ahead-block having slottedbifurcated ends, a horizontal brace-rod attached to said arms andconstructed to receive the screw-rod, and keys adapted to enter theslots in the bifurcated ends of said arms, substantially as shown anddescribed.

5. The combination, with a screw-rod pro vided with a swivel. at one endhaving opposing curved arms, links suspended from said swivel, and ablock suspended from said links, a ratchet fast upon said screw-rodabove the swivel, and a handle adapted to operate the same, ofahead-block,'arms pivoted at the ends of said head-block having slottedbifurcated ends,a horizontal adjustable brace rod attached to said armsand adapted to receive the screw-rod, and keys adapted to enter theslots in the bifurcated ends of the said arms, all arranged to operatesubstantially as shown and k EMORY M. WOODIN. FRANK J. GIBBS.

Witnesses:

HARRY M. GRoFFINs, HARRY W. CUTTER.

